We all face a clogged shower drain occasionally that seems impossible to deal with. Store-bought cleaning products don’t help either; they release toxic chemicals that damage the drain pipes. Another option is to opt for a home remedy with products readily available in your kitchen. You can unclog the shower drain using baking soda and vinegar, which are easy to find and are cost-effective as well.
A clogged shower drain might look gross, but cleaning it up is really important. If you leave the dirty drain as it is, your shower might get flooded. To prevent this from happening, keep an eye on the drainage. If water drains slowly, then it’s time to start cleaning. The earlier you clean, the less dirty and costly the process will be.
Before starting the cleaning process, it is important to understand why the shower drain gets clogged. When we shower, the soap leaves behind a residue, which gets mixed with dirt, body hair, and mineral deposits left behind by hard water. Even the filter of the shower drain is unable to stop the buildup from reaching the drain pipe, resulting in a dreaded clogged shower drain.
The worst thing about a clogged drain is the standing water mixed with the buildup that doesn’t drain. In such a situation, we use different cleaning products and methods, which do not yield any results. Another method is to use a home remedy to eliminate stubborn buildup in the drain using baking soda and vinegar. Now, let’s learn how to unclog the shower drain with baking soda and vinegar by following a proper procedure.
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Things You’ll Need
- A sponge and a bucket to clean up standing water
- Gloves for hygiene
- Half a cup of baking soda
- One cup of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- A large cloth to cover the drain
- A medium-sized pot filled with boiling hot water
How to Unclog the Shower Drain With Baking Soda and Vinegar
Clean the Drain Before Putting Baking Soda
Clean the area around the drain, especially if there is standing water left behind. Make sure to wear gloves for hygiene, and use a sponge to soak the water around the drain. Now, remove as much residue from the drain filter as you can. It is important for effective cleaning as the mixture needs to be poured into the drain directly, not on the clumped residue.
Pour Baking Soda in the Drain
Take half a cup of baking soda and pour evenly into the shower drain. Wait for at least 10 minutes to ensure the drain pipe gets properly coated with an even layer of baking soda. It also helps control the bad odor from the buildup.
Pour Vinegar
Now pour one cup of regular white vinegar or apple cider vinegar slowly into the drain; it will react with the baking soda and start to bubble up. The fizz created helps loosen up the buildup. Take a cloth and cover the drain so that the carbon dioxide gas released while the fizzy foam can be trapped. This process creates mild pressure, helping the fizz go deeper in the drain.
Pour Boiling Water Down the Drain
Wait for at least 20-30 minutes and then pour boiling water down the drain to flush out the mixture and loosen up the buildup. Don’t leave any residue behind, and clean up everything with hot water. You can pour more water to check if the drainage is happening properly or not. Repeat the process.
Remember that this mixture should only be used for minor clogging. In case of severe clogging, contact a professional.
Final Word
The best way to unclog a shower drain using baking soda and vinegar is to employ these two cleaning agents together. The powerful fizzing that cleans up the clogged drain will only happen if vinegar reacts with baking soda. It is an organic mixture that doesn’t release toxic chemicals, unlike the store-bought cleaning products. You can easily find these cleaning agents in your kitchen and try this economical solution to restore the water drainage in your shower drain.
